Black History Month started off on a high note in sports as Black women are taking charge at Super Bowl LVII.
Yesterday, the NFL took to Instagram to inform fans that Autumn Lockwood, an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, will become the first Black woman to coach in a Super Bowl.
“With the @philadelphiaeagles advancing to #SBLVII, Coach Autumn Lockwood will become 4th woman to coach in a Super Bowl, and the first Black woman to do so. What an achievement,” posted the NFL.
But that’s not the only major move made by Black women around the Big Game.
When the Eagles beat the 49ers to advance to Super Bowl LVII, Nicole Lynn, Jalen Hurts’ agent, became the first Black woman to represent an NFL quarterback in the Super Bowl.
Being represented by powerful and successful women is something Hurts takes great pride in. He emphasized that fact in an interview with Sports Illustrated last year when he revealed that he has an all-female management team.
“I admire anyone who puts their head down and works for what they want. And I know women who do that daily, but they don’t get the same praise as men—they don’t get the praise that they deserve. I’ve seen that now with tons of different women in my life that are hustlers. Athletes, coaches, women in the business world of sports. I see it all the time. And they deserve their flowers too. So if me saying something about it brings more attention to it, then I’m all for that.”
Hurts also noted that he and Lynn were both doubted by others because they didn’t fit the norm of their industries, and that solidified the connection and motivation they share.
“I saw that same fire in Nicole,” said Hurts. “She said, ‘I’m a woman. People are going to overlook me. People are going to doubt me. They’re not going to give me the due respect. But I’m overcoming it, just like you do.’
“And that’s where we really hit it off. We had the same vision,” exclaimed Hurts.
To top things off, Rihanna will be returning to the stage as the Super Bowl’s Halftime Show. It gives fans another incredible performer after last year’s Halftime Show featuring Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent.
When you add Autumn Lockwood, Nicole Lynn and Rihanna to the fact that this year’s Super Bowl will be the first one played with two Black starting quarterbacks, you have a game that will go down in the history books, and a perfect way to celebrate Black History Month.
